


Something Old and Something New

by misura



Category: 13 Going On 30 (2004)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Background Relationships, Canonical Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 13:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5542409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I hook you up with an architect and all I get in return is <i>'Thriller'</i>?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Old and Something New

**Author's Note:**

> for clarity: this is set in the timeline of the epilogue, after Jenna's second wish

" _'Thriller'_." Richard looked deeply unconvinced.

Richard should have a little more faith. "Yes, _'Thriller'_." She'd been coaching Matt for the past three weeks - without, of course, revealing what she was coaching him _for_.

Matt was not a big fan of Poise parties. He'd come to this one, though. He'd show up late, and he'd leave early, but he'd definitely come.

"I hook you up with an architect and all I get in return is _'Thriller'_? That hardly seems like an equal trade now, does it?"

The architect had taken one look at Jenna's dreamhouse and _laughed_. Hardly an equal trade, indeed! Nobody was going to be laughing at Richard when he'd step up and show his dancing moves.

"Richard. Do you trust me?"

Tom-Tom worked at _Sparkle_. There was no mole at _Poise_. Circulation was still down, though, so the party was still a Thing. Jenna would make sure it was going to be a Good Thing.

"Is that a trick question?" Richard gave her a wary look. "Trust you to do what?"

"Save the party." Obviously.

"I wasn't aware the party needed saving," Richard said. "In fact, I would very much prefer for you _not_ to save the party. Because if the party needs saving, that means we're really in trouble. It's a party! Music! Food! Fabulous people to talk to and flirt with! Why would it need saving?"

Knowing the future was very annoying sometimes. "Just tell the DJ to bring the record." Of course, the DJ had brought it the first time, too, presumably without anyone having asked him to do so.

And Matt had danced in the end, as had Richard, without any training or coaching in advance.

From that point of view, maybe Richard had a point in comparing her advice to his architect. Who absolutely hadn't needed to _laugh at her_.

"Fine. No harm, no foul." Richard beamed at her. "What did you think of Keith? Dreamy, isn't he?" 

Keith? Who was Keith?

"Met him in college," Richard went on. "Never quite dared to make a move. But then we met again a few weeks ago, and I thought to myself, well, what do you have to lose?"

Boyfriend, then. Potential boyfriend. Who'd gone to college with Richard. "He laughed." That wasn't particularly dreamy, was it? Laughing at someone's dream house? "Honestly, I think you can do better."

"You had Rick Springfield sitting on your couch. Of _course_ he laughed," Richard said. " _Jessie's Girl_ is the greatest song about denial ever made - and I'm _not_ referring to that river in Egypt, if you know what I mean, and I'm sure that you do, being a modern young woman and all."

"Oh." Keith could have said that was what he'd laughed at, surely?

"Cute arse, too. Not quite Alex Carlson, but very nice. Thinking of moving out into the country, then, are we?" Richard frowned. "Not too far out, I hope."

"No. He's going to do it, then? Make the drawings?"

"I had to promise him dinner." Richard looked smug. "I do hope you appreciate the sacrifices being made by me on your behalf, Jenna, for they are, indeed, considerable."

"I can pay." It would be her birthday present to Matt. Seventeen years after he'd given her the small version. "I just asked for an introduction, not - "

"Don't ruin this for me," Richard said. "Please. I beg you. Don't ruin this for me."

Richard was a little strange sometimes, but he was a big softie at heart. "Thank you."

"Welcome." Richard relaxed. "Now, don't worry about the party. It's going to be fabulous."

It would be. Possibly not before eleven, but still. "I know."

Good thing she already knew what to wear.


End file.
